Vets marvel at Salazar

Reliever Vinnie Pestano had seen Danny Salazar pitch once before the Clippers defeated the
Buffalo Bisons 8-0 last night in Huntington Park.

"I saw him in his start at Cleveland and I saw him tonight," said Pestano, who was optioned by
the Indians to Columbus on Wednesday. "The kid is pretty impressive."

Pestano watched from the Tribe bullpen on July 11 when Salazar pitch five no-hit innings against
the Toronto Blue Jay in his Major League debut. Toronto broke up the no-hitter in the sixth but
Salazar still earned the win. Cleveland optioned him back to the Clippers the next day.

Last night, Salazar pitched five no-hit innings against Buffalo, the Blue Jays' triple-A team.
He faced 16 batters, striking out eight and walking none. An error by first baseman Chun-Hsui Chen
in the fourth inning prevented him from pitching five perfect innings.

The no-hitter lasted until two outs in the top of the ninth this time when Anthony Gose singled
off Clay Rapada. Pestano pitched a 1-2-3 eighth in the game.

"We've got this guy throwing 96 to 99 (mph)," Pestano said. "It kind of makes all of
us better because everybody's got to gear up for that and we're throwing 90. You
know what? Players talk. Guys talk. He's on the mound and he makes it look so easy. He's just
spotting (the ball).

"Usually when a guy throws that hard, they're erractic. You've got to bring them back in. In
certain situations where they're trying to strike guys out, they get too amped up. They sort
of lose the feel for it. This guy stays consistent pumping strikes. It's been fun to
watch."

Clippers manager Chris Tremie thought that Salazar had his best game of the season.

"He was down in the zone," Tremie said. "He had good angle on his fastball and good velocity. He
threw some good secondary pitches. I don't think you can get any better than what we saw."

Salazar exited the game because the Indians have him on a strict innings and pitch limit in his
first full season back from 2011 Tommy John surgery. He has appeared in 13 games for Columbus
since his promotion from double-A Akron in May. He has 56 1/3 innings under his belt with 74
strikeouts against 14 walks with the Clippers.

Rapada, a 12-year veteran, was disappointed not to close out the no-hitter. He credited
Salazar with giving the bullpen a shot.

"I think Salazar set the table," Rapada said. "He dominated. He put us relievers in a position
to succeed. He's by far one of the best prospects I've ever seen."